The Challenge

"Minato, Minato, come out here right now!"

Outside the Root headquarters building, a loud voice echoed everywhere, attracting men and women working inside to lean out of their windows to see who dared to call the Lord Commander by his name in the Root headquarters building—truly courting death!

"Red hair?"

"Whirlpool Mark?"

"... It's Lord Natural Disaster!!!"

Exclamations rose and fell, and everyone quickly pulled their heads back, as if a bucket of snow water had been poured over their heads, chilling them to the bone, and they lost all interest in watching the spectacle.

Having just defeated the Stone Ninja and killed the Third Tsuchikage, Katsuki's fearsome reputation has once again risen to an astonishing level, and the title of "Calamity" has been deeply ingrained in people's minds.

"Katsuki, is there something you need from me?"

A golden light flashed, and Minato appeared beside Katsuki.

"Something's up! Of course something's up!" Katsuki's lips curled up as he cracked his knuckles. "Minato, let's fight!"

"Let's fight?"

Minato blinked and looked at Katsuki.

A white short-sleeved T-shirt with a large swirling pattern printed on the chest, paired with knee-length black shorts and flip-flops...

"Are you sure you came here to fight, looking like this?"

Minato's lips twitched, and he subconsciously retorted.

"Um... is there a problem?"

Katsuki was taken aback and looked down at her attire.

Short sleeves and shorts, shouldn't that be convenient for fighting? As for slippers, he can take them off completely; walking barefoot won't be a hindrance for him at all.

"No problem, just a little surprised." Minato quickly waved his hand, denying it aloud, then added, "So where will you fight? A regular training ground probably won't be enough for you, and cleaning up the mess near the village will be a real hassle."

"Ah! That's true!"

Katsuki crossed her arms and frowned as she pondered.

After Kushina told him about Minato's marriage proposal yesterday, he didn't sleep well all night, even though he knew that Minato and Kushina would be a model happy couple.

However, I still couldn't calm down. I didn't have any specific worries, just a sense of unease.

When morning came, she hastily ate breakfast, not even knowing what she had eaten, and went straight to the Root the Katsuki to cause trouble.

I feel uneasy if I don't have a fight.

So, he didn't consider where the fight would take place or how it would end; his thinking ability seemed to have been poisoned.

"I know a place where no one will bother us, and we don't have to worry about affecting anyone else."

Minato sighed; the problem was solved.

"Don't move, it'll be over soon." Minato placed his left hand on Katsuki's shoulder, his right hand Hand Seals like lightning, and with a soft shout, "Go!"

Everything in the world seemed like a shattered mirror, broken into pieces, followed by a bizarre and indescribable transformation. Blinking my eyes, the scenery before me was completely different.

The buildings, streets, and stone statues have all disappeared, replaced by azure ocean, fine white sand, tall and straight coconut trees, and crabs roaming freely on the beach.

"Flying Thunder God Technique... This is amazing! I don't even need to spend money to travel..."

Standing under the coconut tree, Katsuki repeatedly expressed her admiration, making no attempt to hide her envy.

The Flying Thunder God Technique is definitely one of the most prestigious Ninjutsu in the Shinobi World, making it the perfect choice for everyday life, travel, murder, robbery, and showing off.

Unfortunately, he simply lacked the talent in this area; the aptitude to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique was even rarer than Kekkei Genkai.

I kicked off my flip-flops and stepped barefoot onto the soft sand. The sand, warmed by the morning sun, felt incredibly comfortable... Oh no, I almost forgot my original purpose.

Having just escaped the temptation of the beach, Katsuki turned around and looked at Minato.

"Ahem, Minato, this place is nice. Speaking of which, is this still within the Land of Fire?"

"Of course it's in the Land of Fire, but it's almost at the southernmost coastline. There's no one around for over a hundred kilometers inland. I came here while chasing a missing-nin, and I habitually left my coordinates there. I never thought I'd come in handy today."

Minato patted the coconut tree beside him, revealing a string of black runes on it.

The mark left by the Flying Thunder God Technique is indestructible, at least not by the methods of ordinary ninjas. However, the material that carries the mark can be destroyed. As long as the material that records the mark, such as rocks or trees, is destroyed, the mark will be indirectly erased.

To put it more vividly, it means that if the skin is gone, the hair will cling to it.

"Hmm... Minato, get ready, I'm about to make my move." Katsuki shook his head vigorously to clear his jumbled thoughts, took a fighting stance, and his fighting spirit soared like flames.

"Come on, come on!"

Minato reached to his waist with his right hand and gripped his trident Kunai tightly in his hand.

"White Lightning Strike!!"

For Katsuki, a distance of more than ten meters was less than a second's time.

In the blink of an eye, he rushed in front of Minato, his right arm, wrapped in lightning, thrust out like a spear, aiming for Minato's chest.

"... Katsuki, you're really ruthless. I don't have your monstrous defense; I couldn't withstand that kind of attack."

The sound of Minato mingled with the sound of waves coming from behind.

My right hand missed!

The emptiness he felt almost made him collapse.

"The speed of Space-Time Ninjutsu is truly amazing... However, I'd like to test whether my Lightning Flash Turn can keep up!"

Katsuki kicked at the sand, and crackling lightning flashed on her bare feet, causing the sand around her to scatter with a crackling sound.

"Bang!!!"

A large crater was blasted open in the sand, and Katsuki transformed into a silver lightning bolt, rushing towards Minato, who was standing on the reef.

Bang--!

Boom--!!

Click--!!!

Golden streaks of light and silver lightning chased each other wildly across the beach, leaving behind craters belching black smoke. Rocks that had stood for millennia were blasted to pieces, and coconut groves were mercilessly ravaged, with coconut trees snapping one by one.

"That was exhilarating! That was exhilarating! Minato, you're really something... Even the Third Tsuchikage, that old devil who almost killed me, wasn't as troublesome as your Flying Thunder God Technique." Katsuki couldn't contain his excitement, and his roar echoed like thunder in all directions.

He had already pushed the Lightning Transmission to its limit, and even strengthened his leg muscles to the extreme, but he still couldn't grab Minato's clothes.

The Space-Time Ninjutsu is ridiculously powerful!

"Minato, watch out!" Katsuki stopped in his tracks, carving two deep furrows in the sand. He slammed his right hand heavily on the ground, "Earth Release: Earth Splitting Palm." (To be continued)